Contact Dermatitis

Jim is a janitor at a public hospital. While cleaning the ward, one of his cleaning substances spilled on his hands. He was not wearing his safety gloves. He just washed his hands off and shrugged off the incident. A few days later, he noticed that the affected area is very itchy and red. A few days more, the affected area turned into skin lesions. He brought his problem into the outpatient department, and the physician diagnosed him with contact dermatitis.

Photoallergic contact dermatitis. Photoallergic contact dermatitis is a delayed-type hypersensitivity cutaneous reaction in response to a photoantigen applies to the skin in subjects previously sensitized to the same substance.

Types

Other types of dermatitis

Contact dermatitis. Caused by an allergen or an irritating substance. Irritant contact dermatitis accounts for 80% of all cases of contact dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis. Very common worldwide and increasing in prevalence. It affects males and females equally and accounts for 10%–20% of all referrals to dermatologists. Individuals who live in urban areas with low humidity are more prone to develop this type of dermatitis.

Dermatitis herpetiformis. Appears as a result of a gastrointestinal condition, known as celiac disease.

Seborrheic dermatitis. More common in infants and in individuals between 30 and 70 years old. It appears to affect primarily men and it occurs in 85% of people suffering from AIDS.

Nummular dermatitis. A less common type of dermatitis, with no known cause and which tends to appear more frequently in middle-age people.

Stasis dermatitis. An inflammation on the lower legs which is caused by buildups of blood and fluid and it is more likely to occur in people with varicose.

Perioral dermatitis. Somewhat similar to rosacea; it appears more often in women between 20 and 60 years old.

Infective dermatitis. Dermatitis secondary to a skin infection

Pathophysiology

The pathophysiology of contact dermatitis involves pathogens that irritate the skin.

Practice Quiz: Contact Dermatitis

Exam Mode

In Exam Mode: All questions are shown but the results, answers, and rationales (if any) will only be given after you’ve finished the quiz.

Practice Quiz: Contact Dermatitis

Please wait while the activity loads. If this activity does not load, try refreshing your browser. Also, this page requires javascript. Please visit using a browser with javascript enabled.

If loading fails, click here to try again

Start

Congratulations - you have completed Practice Quiz: Contact Dermatitis. You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%. Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

Your answers are highlighted below.

Question 1

A 28 yr-old nurse has complaints of itching and a rash of both hands. Contact dermatitis is initially suspected. The diagnosis is confirmed if the rash appears:

A

Erythematous with raised papules.

B

Dry and scaly with flaking skin.

C

Inflamed with weeping and crusting lesions.

D

Excoriated with multiple fissures.

Question 1 Explanation:

A: Contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to a physical or chemical allergen, such as cleaning products, skin care products, and latex gloves. Initial symptoms of itching, erythema, and raised papules occur at the site of the exposure and can begin within 1 hour of exposure. B: Allergic reactions tend to be red and not scaly or flaky. C: Weeping, crusting lesions are also uncommon unless the reaction is quite severe or has been present for a long time. D: Excoriation is more common in skin disorders associated with a moist environment.

Question 2

A 25-year-old female presents to you with a rash over her eyelids after using a new cosmetic brand. What is the BEST test to confirm the cause of the rash?

A

Indirect immunofluorescent antibody test.

B

Patch testing.

C

Prick skin testing.

D

Punch biopsy.

Question 2 Explanation:

B: Patch testing on the skin with suspected offending agents may clarify the diagnosis of contact dermatitis. A: Immunofluorescence (IF) or cell imaging techniques rely on the use of antibodies to label a specific target antigen with a fluorescent dye (also called fluorophores or fluorochromes) such as fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). C: Skin prick testing or SPT demonstrates an allergic response to a specific allergen. D: Punch biopsy is considered the primary technique to obtain diagnostic, full-thickness skin specimens.

Question 3

A 30-year-old female is diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis of the face, likely due to a nickel allergy from the frames of her glasses. What treatment would you recommend other than avoidance of nickel?

A

Clobetasol ointment.

B

Erythromycin gel.

C

Fluconazole gel.

D

Ketoconazole cream.

Question 3 Explanation:

A: Clobetasol cream is a topical corticosteroid. It works by decreasing certain immune responses, which reduces redness and itching of skin. B: Erythromycin gel is a topical macrolide antibiotic that is thought to improve acne by slowing the growth of bacteria on the skin, which causes acne. C: Fluconazole is a topical anti-fungal medication used to treat skin conditions such as ringworm or psoriasis. D: Ketoconazole is used to treat skin infections such as athlete's foot, jock itch, ringworm, and certain kinds of dandruff.

Question 4

Contact dermatitis is a type of hypersensitivity:

A

Type I.

B

Type II.

C

Type III.

D

Type IV.

Question 4 Explanation:

D: Type IV hypersensitivity is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction that are inflammatory in nature initiated by mononuclear leukocytes. A: Type I hypersensitivity is triggered by an innocuous foreign substance (like dust, pollen or animal dander) that would cause no problems in the majority of people. B: Type II hypersensitivity is the process by which IgG or IgM binds to a cell to cause injury or death (Antibody Dependent Cytotoxicity). C: Type III hypersensitivity is tissue damage created by immune complexes, which are aggregations of antigen and antibodies.

Question 5

A light therapy used to calm the immune system is called:

A

Wood's lamp examination.

B

Phototherapy.

C

Patch test.

D

Prick test.

Question 5 Explanation:

B: There are patients that need light therapy to calm their immune system, and the method is called phototherapy. A: A Wood's lamp examination is a test that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to look at the skin closely. C: A patch test is a method used to determine whether a specific substance causes allergic inflammation of a patient's skin. D: Skin prick testing or SPT demonstrates an allergic response to a specific allergen.

Once you are finished, click the button below. Any items you have not completed will be marked incorrect. Get Results

There are 5 questions to complete.

You have completed

questions

question

Your score is

Correct

Wrong

Partial-Credit

You have not finished your quiz. If you leave this page, your progress will be lost.

Correct Answer

You Selected

Not Attempted

Final Score on Quiz

Attempted Questions Correct

Attempted Questions Wrong

Questions Not Attempted

Total Questions on Quiz

Question Details

Results

Date

Score

Hint

Time allowed

minutes

seconds

Time used

Answer Choice(s) Selected

Question Text

All done

Need more practice!

Keep trying!

Not bad!

Good work!

Perfect!

Practice Mode

Practice Mode: This is an interactive version of the Text Mode. All questions are given in a single page and correct answers, rationales or explanations (if any) are immediately shown after you have selected an answer. No time limit for this exam.

Practice Quiz: Contact Dermatitis

Please wait while the activity loads. If this activity does not load, try refreshing your browser. Also, this page requires javascript. Please visit using a browser with javascript enabled.

If loading fails, click here to try again

Start

Congratulations - you have completed Practice Quiz: Contact Dermatitis. You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%. Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

Your answers are highlighted below.

Question 1

A 28 yr-old nurse has complaints of itching and a rash of both hands. Contact dermatitis is initially suspected. The diagnosis is confirmed if the rash appears:

A

Erythematous with raised papules.

B

Dry and scaly with flaking skin.

C

Inflamed with weeping and crusting lesions.

D

Excoriated with multiple fissures.

Question 1 Explanation:

A: Contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to a physical or chemical allergen, such as cleaning products, skin care products, and latex gloves. Initial symptoms of itching, erythema, and raised papules occur at the site of the exposure and can begin within 1 hour of exposure. B: Allergic reactions tend to be red and not scaly or flaky. C: Weeping, crusting lesions are also uncommon unless the reaction is quite severe or has been present for a long time. D: Excoriation is more common in skin disorders associated with a moist environment.

Question 2

A 25-year-old female presents to you with a rash over her eyelids after using a new cosmetic brand. What is the BEST test to confirm the cause of the rash?

A

Indirect immunofluorescent antibody test.

B

Patch testing.

C

Prick skin testing.

D

Punch biopsy.

Question 2 Explanation:

B: Patch testing on the skin with suspected offending agents may clarify the diagnosis of contact dermatitis. A: Immunofluorescence (IF) or cell imaging techniques rely on the use of antibodies to label a specific target antigen with a fluorescent dye (also called fluorophores or fluorochromes) such as fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). C: Skin prick testing or SPT demonstrates an allergic response to a specific allergen. D: Punch biopsy is considered the primary technique to obtain diagnostic, full-thickness skin specimens.

Question 3

A 30-year-old female is diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis of the face, likely due to a nickel allergy from the frames of her glasses. What treatment would you recommend other than avoidance of nickel?

A

Clobetasol ointment.

B

Erythromycin gel.

C

Fluconazole gel.

D

Ketoconazole cream.

Question 3 Explanation:

A: Clobetasol cream is a topical corticosteroid. It works by decreasing certain immune responses, which reduces redness and itching of skin. B: Erythromycin gel is a topical macrolide antibiotic that is thought to improve acne by slowing the growth of bacteria on the skin, which causes acne. C: Fluconazole is a topical anti-fungal medication used to treat skin conditions such as ringworm or psoriasis. D: Ketoconazole is used to treat skin infections such as athlete's foot, jock itch, ringworm, and certain kinds of dandruff.

Question 4

Contact dermatitis is a type of hypersensitivity:

A

Type I.

B

Type II.

C

Type III.

D

Type IV.

Question 4 Explanation:

D: Type IV hypersensitivity is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction that are inflammatory in nature initiated by mononuclear leukocytes. A: Type I hypersensitivity is triggered by an innocuous foreign substance (like dust, pollen or animal dander) that would cause no problems in the majority of people. B: Type II hypersensitivity is the process by which IgG or IgM binds to a cell to cause injury or death (Antibody Dependent Cytotoxicity). C: Type III hypersensitivity is tissue damage created by immune complexes, which are aggregations of antigen and antibodies.

Question 5

A light therapy used to calm the immune system is called:

A

Wood's lamp examination.

B

Phototherapy.

C

Patch test.

D

Prick test.

Question 5 Explanation:

B: There are patients that need light therapy to calm their immune system, and the method is called phototherapy. A: A Wood's lamp examination is a test that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to look at the skin closely. C: A patch test is a method used to determine whether a specific substance causes allergic inflammation of a patient's skin. D: Skin prick testing or SPT demonstrates an allergic response to a specific allergen.

Once you are finished, click the button below. Any items you have not completed will be marked incorrect. Get Results

There are 5 questions to complete.

You have completed

questions

question

Your score is

Correct

Wrong

Partial-Credit

You have not finished your quiz. If you leave this page, your progress will be lost.

Correct Answer

You Selected

Not Attempted

Final Score on Quiz

Attempted Questions Correct

Attempted Questions Wrong

Questions Not Attempted

Total Questions on Quiz

Question Details

Results

Date

Score

Hint

Time allowed

minutes

seconds

Time used

Answer Choice(s) Selected

Question Text

All done

Need more practice!

Keep trying!

Not bad!

Good work!

Perfect!

Text Mode

1. A 28 yr-old nurse has complaints of itching and a rash of both hands. Contact dermatitis is initially suspected. The diagnosis is confirmed if the rash appears:

A: Contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to a physical or chemical allergen, such as cleaning products, skin care products, and latex gloves. Initial symptoms of itching, erythema, and raised papules occur at the site of the exposure and can begin within 1 hour of exposure.

B: Allergic reactions tend to be red and not scaly or flaky.

C: Weeping, crusting lesions are also uncommon unless the reaction is quite severe or has been present for a long time.

D: Excoriation is more common in skin disorders associated with a moist environment.

2. A 25-year-old female presents to you with a rash over her eyelids after using a new cosmetic brand. What is the BEST test to confirm the cause of the rash?

B: Patch testing on the skin with suspected offending agents may clarify the diagnosis of contact dermatitis.

A: Immunofluorescence (IF) or cell imaging techniques rely on the use of antibodies to label a specific target antigen with a fluorescent dye (also called fluorophores or fluorochromes) such as fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC).

3. A 30-year-old female is diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis of the face, likely due to a nickel allergy from the frames of her glasses. What treatment would you recommend other than avoidance of nickel?

Marianne is a staff nurse during the day and a Nurseslabs writer at night. She is a registered nurse since 2015 and is currently working in a regional tertiary hospital and is finishing her Master's in Nursing this June. As an outpatient department nurse, she is a seasoned nurse in providing health teachings to her patients making her also an excellent study guide writer for student nurses. Marianne is also a mom of a toddler going through the terrible twos and her free time is spent on reading books!

Nurseslabs.com is an education and nursing lifestyle website geared towards helping student nurses and registered nurses with knowledge for the progression and empowerment of their nursing careers. Since we started in 2010, Nurseslabs has become one of the most trusted nursing sites helping thousands of aspiring nurses achieve their goals. Our ultimate goal is to help address the nursing shortage by inspiring aspiring nurses that a career in nursing is an excellent choice, guiding students to become RNs, and for the working nurse – helping them achieve success in their careers!